I kid. 11-5 is where we'll finish. This is my one "sky is falling" attempted thread since you never hear stuff like this from me anyway.

Colts never do well in the preseason and yet they win 12+ games every year or so it seems. Lions were 7-1 the past two years in the preseason and won a total of 2 games in the regular season. All four games are done, let's move on with it.

We learned our team has weaknesses and they're now primarily on the defensive side of the ball. Oh really?

Last year, specials teams didn't contribute anything and this year that looks to be revamped with Zoltan, Tate, McCourty. Last year, we had no tight end contributions and this year, we'll at least have something from Alge and/or Gronk/Hernandez. This offense is going to be a force though.

We'll drop one to Miami, sweep the Jets, sweep the Bills. We lose in San Diego, we lose at home against Green Bay in a shootout, and we lose in Chicago.

The secondary won't be an issue, I don't think. The pass rush will be suspect all year but you simply cannot address every weakness in just one off-season.

Our formula for wins this year: long, methodical drives by the offense that eat a ton of clock. We put up big points and let our defense go at it. We're going to dare other teams to out-score us and most teams will not be able to do that.

The wildcard: the offensive line. If it's even remotely average, we're screwed. If it can hold up under the tutelage of Dante Scarnacchia (and it has all the makings of a decent line), then we'll be fine.

My gut feeling is that the real Patriots played the first two preseason games and some team called the statistics sandbagging Patriots played the last two preseason games. Losing the last two meaningless games was important to Bill Belichick, because it helps the team win regular season games in subtle ways.

I think the D will be good given some more playing time. I think the O is going to go score crazy and hold the ball once they are good and up. I know that sounds obvious, but man we will need it. The DBs impressed me last night, am I crazy? I see guys fighting with receivers a bunch. Not 3 yards back, doing the

'trail and tackle". Somtimes it seems they are beaten, or out of position, but they are active, and aggressive. I haven't seen that for a while. The front seven need to get something going, not sure if thats just not playing scheme or what. But once the D gets some teeth (note I say ONCE, not IF) we will be fine. Trying not to overreact until then. We will lose a few due to leaky defense. Gronk ALONE is going to be a difference maker, and with Edelman, Tate, and Hernandez (Price looks like he is not ready) we have O to add to last years Moss Welker combo.

I am glad that this post was tongue-in-cheek. I still think the D will struggle at times, but I thought some of the young guys, esp. McCourty, looked ok out there. He's gonna get beat sometimes, but you can see he belongs and I think he, Spikes, and some of the other young guys will eventually play instinctively rather than thinking too much. I expect that same old bend but don't break Pats D, but they will give up their share of yards and points and the offense will have to make up for it.

The offense will be fine, despite a mediocre showing from the RBs. Still can't figure out the deal with Maroney, but it's clear now more than ever he'll be part of the ground attack and not the featured back. The upside is that Brady clearly has some targets in Gronkowski, Crumpler and Hernandez. This should help all facets since the TEs look like an upgrade.

I still say 10-6. They'll win some they shouldn't and lose one or two because the D will struggle. Hardly an earth-shattering prediction, I know. But there is no way a Tom Brady led team goes 8-8. Can't see it.